Panasonic Lumix GF3 is lightest lens-swapping Lumix yet

There's yet another lens-swapping Lumix on the block, and it's a mere slip of a thing. The Panasonic Lumix GF3 is the lightest, smallest interchangeable lens camera in Panny's Micro Four Thirds range.

The 12-megapixel GF3 is wrapped up in a rounded aluminium chassis, with a 3-inch touchscreen and built-in pop-up flash.

The touchscreen lets you focus and take a picture by tapping on the screen. It's even smart enough to work out what you're touching on the screen, switching to portrait mode if you touch a face, or tracking your subject and keeping it in focus if it moves.

The dedicated video button is next to the shutter button, which makes sense. It fires up 1080i high definition at 25 frames per second, with Dolby sound and an HDMI socket to watch your videos on your HDTV.

The GF3 is the ninth Micro Four Thirds camera from Panasonic,
and it's the smallest and lightest snapper in the range. There are plenty of lenses to choose from these days, including a 3D lens to capture three-dimensional pictures.

Olympus, which
has also hitched its wagon to the Micro Four Thirds format, has
released five cameras. Samsung's rival NX format includes four cameras,
and Sony's NEX format features just three cameras, all very similar.

Panasonic's most recent Micro Four Thirds model is the Lumix G3, which earns itself a highly prestigious Editors' Choice award in our recent review. Keep your eyes on CNET UK to see if the GF3 measures up in a full review, thundering towards you like a gaggle of glamour models spotting a Premier League footballer.

The GF3 comes in boiled-sweet red, frosty white or traditional black. It comes with
a 14-42mm F/3.5-5.6 standard zoom lens for £500, a 14mm F/2.5 pancake lens for £550, or both lenses for
£630. Panasonic hasn't confirmed when it will hit shops.